Leg supporting attachment for invalid chairs



y 22, 1956 J. c. LIEBICH 2,746,527

LEG SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR INVALID CHAIRS FiTed June 23, 1953 (/0/7/7 6T L/eb/ ch WM w. GUM

Gktoww .LEGzSUPPORJIINGATIAGHMENT Eon f ildhn Liebich, Toledo, flhio, assignor to Gendron gliiieel iCompany, -Perrysburg, *Oliio, -a corporation of Application June 23, 1953, Serial No. 363,533 2 Claims. or. 155-171 occupant, and, when not in use, can be removed simply.

and without the use of tools.

Another object is to produce a leg rest attachment of the above character, which can be marketed as a separate device and lends itself to mounting on an invalid chair in an exceedingly simple manner, utilizing structure of the chair to brace and support the attachment without any major adjustment of the device.

Other objects reside in details of construction, arrangement and mounting, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a collapsible wheel chair for invalids, showing the leg rest attachment in position of use;

Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the leg rest attachment; I 2

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the leg rest attachment taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a collapsible wheel chair for invalids which has a pair of upright, laterally spaced side frames 10, each having a front vertical rail 11a and a lower horizontal rail 11b. The seat for the chair consists of a textile fabric piece 12, the sides of which are connected to horizontally disposed rails 13. The front and back portions of the horizontal seat rails 13 are supported by pivotally connected cross braces 14, and each cross brace adjacent its upper end, is connected to the adjacent vertical rail 11a by a pivoted link 15. It will be understood that at the rear of the chair are similar vertical rails and pivoted link structures similar to that above described at the front of the chair. At the rear of the chair are axles mounting large supporting wheels 16 and at the front of the chair mounted on the horizontal rails 11b are castors 17. Pivotally mounted foot rests 18 are carried by extensions of the lower rails 11b. An invalid chair of the above type is shown and described in the Patent No. 2,485,016, dated October 18, 1949, to which reference is made for a more complete description of the construction and operation.

The leg rest support hereinafter described is particularly adapted for mounting on a chair of the construction above described. As shown, the leg support comprises a rectangular panel 19 which is suitably upholstered as indicated at 20. Theunder side of the upholstered panel is covered by a sheet 21 suitably fastened in place. At the rear end of the panel 19 and secured to the under side is a mounting bracket 22 which has a flat portion 23 abutting the under side of the sheet 21 and secured to the panel by bolts and nuts 24. The bracket is of sheet metal and integral with the flat portion 23 and inclining downwardly Un ta e Pate ice jlthenefrom )is :a portin which terminates in a rearas shown, has .the vertical pol tica thereof spaced from the terminal portion 27 a slight distance, thereby providing a substantially grooved portion to fit over one of the pivotal links 15 of the wheel chair on the desired side to support the leg of the occupant. Thus the leg support may be mounted either on one side or the other of the invalid chair, depending on which leg of the occupant is h; to be supported. It will be apparent that the arrangement is such that the panel 19-is supported at the proper height with relation to the chair seat 12, to be most convenient for the occupant or invalid.

Adjacent the front end of the panel 19 and on the under side thereof is a transverse strip 30 secured to the panel by bolts and nuts 31. Connected to the strip 30 centrally thereof is a clevis 32 which is pivotally mounted by a rivet 33 passing through the clevis and the metallic strip 30. Passing through the depending arms of the clevis 32 is a bolt 34 which also extends through a hole in a tubular supporting rod 35, there being a series of holes 36 for this purpose so that the elfective length of the tubular rod may be varied in accordance with the demands of service. The upper end of the rod 35 is slightly bent, as shown, and thence itextends downwardly and rearwardly terminating in a flattened end 37 which has a notch 38 in the extreme end tofit the juncture between the vertical rail 11a and the extension of the lower horizontal rail 11b substantially asshown. Thus the weight of the invalids leg is transmitted to the chair through the medium of the mounting bracket 22 and the downwardly and rearwardly inclined rod or leg 35.

From the above description, it will be apparent that an exceedingly simple leg supporting attachment for an invalid chair is provided, and one which can be simply and conveniently mounted in position of use or removed when no longer needed. The weight of the leg is effectively supported by the respective link 15 and the lower portion of the chair structure, there being adequate bearing between the mounting bracket 22 and the respective link 15 to prevent swaying or lateral rocking movement of the leg rest.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is: i V

1. A leg rest attachment for an invalid chair, having a front vertical rail, a seat, a horizontal brace link connected to said rail below the seat, and a horizontal rail rigid with the lower end of the vertical rail and having a forward extension, said attachment comprising a horizontal panel for supporting the leg, a bracket on the rear of said panel extending downwardly and rearwardly and terminating in a downwardly opening elongate yoke-like part to fit over the horizontal brace link of the chair, a leg inclining downwardly and rearwardly from the under side of the forward end portion of said panel, a clevis, a pivot mounting said clevis for pivotal movement about a vertical axis on the under side of the panel, said leg having a series of spaced holes in the upper end portion thereof, a bolt extending through the arms of the clevis and through one of said holes therebyenabling pivotal movement of the leg and providing link adjustment thereof, and a notched end the vertical rail and forward extension of the horizontal rail of the chair. a 2. The combination claimed in claim 1, said bracket being formed of sheet metal and including a pair of hori zontally spaced strips of substantial width forming said downwardly opening elongate yokelike part, whereby to stabilize the horizontal panel against swinging movement from sigle to side. I

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rodefer July 22, 1856 Yates Mar. 10, 1874 Hart Jan. 26, 1886 Aitken June 1, 1886 Potter Dec. 25, 1894 Johnson Oct. 22, 1901 Ray Oct. 10, 1905 Phillips Nov. 2, 1909 Russo July 22, 1919' Dodson May 19, 1942 Everest et'al. June 24, 1952 Thompson Apr. 7, 1953 

